Fountain pen



L.. J. BIRO FOUNTAIN PEN I l J 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 13, 1949 1 J. BlRo 2,491,082

FouNTgm PEN Filed May 2'5, 194A 2 sheets-sheet 2 v w in *E Patented Dec. 13, 1949 FOUNTAIN PEN Laszlo J ozsef Biro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Eversharp, Inc.,` Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 25, 1944, Serial No. 537,255 In Argentina April 29,. 1944 4 Claims.

This invention relates: to improvements in fountain pens, and particularly to fountain pens of the rolling-ball tip type.

Several types of devices have been suggested heretofore for the purpose of placing writing instruments in operative and inoperative positions, thereby dispensing with the ordinary detachable caps, and while such devices have been used with a certain amount of success in pencils of the multi-color type, they are not adapted for use in connection with fountain pens.

In my copending application Serial No. 536,011, filed- May L?. 1944, there is disclosed a fountain pen lcomprising a tubular body with a slidable assembly consisting of the ink reservoir, theink feeder, the writing tip and a push-button located at the end of said tubular body opposite said writing tip, said button serving to slide said slidable assembly into operative position, but in order toreturn the assembly to inoperative position, separate releasing means are. required.

The improvements of the present invention consist of a mechanical combination whereby the same operating means, such as aI push-button,l will operate not only as the means for placing the pen in writing or operative position, but also asI releasing means for returning the writing tip ofsaid pen to concealed or inoperative position.

For this. purpose, the operating button is .provided with a stem, the free end of which contacts the above mentioned slidable assembly comprising. the ink reservoir, the ink feeder and the writing tip, said stem being provided with, means which, on being pushed to ay certain extent will actas a stop for locking the slidable assembly in the operative. or writing position assumed through this actuation. Said combination of means alsoY comprises a movable member capable of engaging a depression for the purpose of locking the pen in writing position, whereby a second actuation of the. push-button will release the slidable device which will return to concealed or inoperative position through the action. of a spring.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a system responsive to a single control means, for the purpose of setting the fountain pen in operative and inoperative: positions..

A further object oi the. invention is to. provide a. fountain pen which may be readily set in operative and inoperative positions through simple 'operations which may be carried out with the fingers of the same hand used in handling the pen for writing purposes.

Al still further object or the invention is to simplify the construction of the fountain pen (Cl. 1Z0-42.073)

and avoid the use of supplementary elements, apart from eliminating the necessity of providing the ordinaryl detachable capv for protecting the writing tip of the pen.`

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the course of the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating same by way of example and in a preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the writing instrument in inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig.

l, showing the fountain pen in writing or oper-f ative position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view o the fountain pen, with the control button pressed to the maximum depth into the tubular body of the instrument. Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the spring causes the slidable device to move into inoperative position upon releasing the control button and Fig. 5 is a fragmental, disassembled View of a portion of the fountain pen corresponding to the control button thereof, with certain of the parts.

including the fingered locking spring element, shown in side' elevation.

The same reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts of elements throughout the drawings.

As may be seen from the drawings, the fountain. pen of the present invention comprises a tubular body a provided at one end with an endpiece b serving as a guide for thel writing tip l.. The writing tip l terminates in a small rolling ball l mounted in a suitable setting and in contact with the ink supplied from the feed tube 2l deriving from an ink reservoir 3 housed within the tubular body a.

Said ink reservoir 3, ink feeder 2, and the writing tip I constitute a slidable device c which is operated by a push device d.

The tubular body a serves as a guide for the ink reservoir 3.,. while the end-piece b is provided with an axial bore 4 also acting as av guide for the feed tube 2, so as to allow the unit c to slide from the inoperative position asl shown in Fig. 1 to the operative position shown in Fig. 2, and vice-versa.

Said end-piece b is provided with a further bore 5., the diameter of which is larger than that of the bore 4, thereby forming a seat 6 for a coiled spring 'I which normally urges the unit c towards the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1, in whichy the writing tip- I remains housed Within the bore 4. In other words, the end-piece b will act as a holding cap, avoiding all possibility of contact with the ball I', which will remain practically centered and spaced from the inner surface of said end-piece b.

The umt c may be readily set into operative position'by means of the push device d provided with a push button 8 which on being pressed as shown in Fig. 2, will cause the unit c to slide longitudinally until the writing tip I projects outwardly to a sufiicient degree, where it should be locked for writing purposes.

According to the present invention, the locking means, the release for the locking means and the entire control necessary for setting the fountain pen in operative and inoperative positions depend on the device d. For this purpose, said device d comprises a stem 9 provided at one end wth the above mentoned push-button 8 projectng outwardly from a collar I located at the extreme end of the tubular body a opposite that of the end-piece b, while the opposite end of said stem 9 terminates in a stop collar II which by means of an extension II is associated with a cap I2 arranged at the end of the ink reservoir 3 of the unit c. Thus, said unit c together with the cap I2, stop collar II, stem 9 and button 8 will form a conjugate series which, urged by the spring 1, will normally be in inoperative position such as is shown in Fig. 1, but on pressing said button 8, this combination of elements will assume an operative or writing position as illustrated in Fig. 2. Saidv stem 9 is provided with a bushing I3 which is shorter than the length of said stem and slidableabout same, in such a manner that said bushing is capable of assuming at least two positions, one against the button 8, and another abutting against the stop collar II. Y

Preferably, the bushing I3 is made of the'same diameter as the stop collar II, so that when it is positioned against the latter, the surface of said bushing will remain flush with the lateral surface of stop collar II.

The tubular body a is provided with a locking element I4 fixed to the walls of said body as by means of rivets I5, said locking element I4 being preferably of tubular form at its point of attachment and affording a set of resilient fingers I4 obtained by suitable longitudinal and transverse slots I4a and I4b provided in the locking element I4, as, clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The resilient ngers I4' tend to converge towards the longitudinal axis of the fountain pen and, therefore, with the latter in inoperative position as shown in Fig. l, upon pressing the button 8 and causing the slidable device to move into the operative position as illustrated in Fig. 2, said fingers I4', after allowing the advance of the body of stop collar I I, will nt against the seat II of stop II, said fitting being facilitated by the bushing I3 which will be displaced towards the button 8. Once the ends of the fingers I 4' have been seated on seat II of stop collar II, the unit c and device d will remain locked in writing or operative position.

*i When the user wishes to put away the pen, it will be sufficient to once more press the button to cause the unit c to return to initial or inoperative position. In fact, upon further pressing the button 8 as shown in Fig. 3, the assembly d will be displaced inwardly to such an extent that the bushing I3, prevented from furtherbackward displacement, will be interposed between the ngers I4 whereby the ends of said iingers I4' will bear against said bushing, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, thus unlocking the locking element I4; and inasmuch as the surface of the bushing I3 is substantially ush with the lateral surface of the stop collar II, upon releasing the button 8 the lock will also be released. Under such circumstances, when said button 8 is released, the pressure of the spring 'I will cause the backward movement of the unit c, with the consequent displacement of the stop II, stem 9 and button 8, until stop I I contacts the bushing I3. Said stop II will drive the bushing I3, and since the abutment of said stop and bushing oifers no resistance, as shown in Fig. 4, the displacement of the assembly will continue until the unit c has assumed the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1. Thus, the bushing I3 operates to release the locking element I4.

It will be seen from the above that the button 8 controls the setting of the fountain pen into both the operative and inoperative positions thereof, and that once the device has been set in operative position as shown in Fig. 2, it will be suiilcient to further press said button to cause the release of the locking means and the return of the device to its inoperative position as illustrated in Fig. 1, said position being obtained through the action of spring 1 and defined by the abutment of ring I6 against the collar I.

summarizing, the improved fountain pen of the present invention comprises a tubular body a provided with an end-piece b and housing a slidable unit or assembly c comprising the ink reservoir 3, the ink feeder 2 and the writing tip- I;

' with a push device d opposite said writing tip, in'- combination with means for urging said slidable assembly towards concealed or inoperative' position of the writing tip (Fig. l), means for locking the unit in the operative or writing position; and means for releasing said locking means, the main feature residing in the fact that the device d controlling the displacement of the movable runit c comprises a control button 8 having a stem 9 provided with a stop II, with means II" for receiving the locking element I4 in the operative position of the fountain pen (Fig. 2), said stem also being provided with a slidable bushing I3 for the purpose of releasing said locking element I4. Said bushing I3 is so arranged that upon further pressing the device d towards the position illustrated in Fig. 3, said bushing will interpose between the fingers I4' of the locking element I4 and inasmuch as said bushing I3 and stop II are arranged so as to constitute a sliding surface, upon releasing the button 8, the pressure of the spring 1 will cause the release of the locking element I4, whereby the entire assembly will move backwardly as shown in Fig.' 4, to the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. l. l

It is evident that in carrying the invention into practice, several changes, modifications and adaptations thereof will occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as clearly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 'Y 1. In a writing instrument, a Atubular bod a unit slidably mounted in the body, said unit including a writing tipat one end thereof, and an ink reservoir connected with the tip behind the latter, a coil spring for moving the unit rearwardly in the bodyto retract the tipwith'- in the front end of the body, said spring being compressed between the reservoir and the front end of the body, and an exteriorly accessible device operable to move the unit forwardly to expose the tip,` and also to permit rearward movement of the unit to retract the tip, said device including a push member slidably mounted in the body behind the unit in direct endwise abutment but otherwise freely separable engagement with the reservoir, latching means for locking the push member in a pushed-in position to hold the tip projected in writing position, and release means operable to disconnect the latching means and permit rearward movement of the push member and tip.

2. In a writing instrument, a tubular body, a unit slidably mounted in the body, said unit including a writing tip at one end thereof, and an ink reservoir connected with the tip behind the latter, a coil spring for moving the unit rearwardly in the body to retract the tip within the front end of the body, said spring being compressed between the reservoir and the front end of the body, and an exteriorly accessible device operable to move the unit forwardly to expose the tip, and also to permit rearward movement of the unit to retract the tip, said device including a push member slidably mounted in the body behind the unit in direct abutment but otherwise freely separable engagement with the reservoir, latching means for locking the push member in a pushed-in position to hold the tip projected in writing position, and release means operable to disconnect the latching means and permit rearward movement of the push member and tip, said latching means consisting of a plurality of stationary spring fingers carried by the body, and a stop assoy ciated with said push member for locking engagement with the ngers, and said release means consisting of a bushing shiftably mounted on the push member for outwardly camming engagement with the iingers.

3. A fountain pen comprising a tubular body having a front end-portion, a slidable unitary device housed therein and formed by an ink reservoir, an ink feeder, and a writing tip, which device is movable between an inoperative position in which the tip is housed in the endportion and an operative position in which the tip is exposed, a coil spring compressed between the body and said device for urging the tip into the inoperative position, a releasable detent for holding said device in the operative position, and a push device at the end of the pen opposite said tip, which push device is arranged in direct endwise abutment but otherwise freely separable engagement with the reservoir and comprises a push button provided with a stem, a

stop thereon for engagement by the detent, and a sleeve slidably received on said stem and movable to release the detent and to permit movement of the slidable device to the inoperative position.

4. A ball point pen of the retractable tip type, comprising a tubular shell which is open at both ends and is tapered forwardly adjacent its front end, a writing unit centered within the shell for endwise movement therein, said unit consisting of a ball equipped tip of substantially the same size as the opening in the front end of the shell and an ink reservoir for the tip, which reservoir is connected with the tip and extends rearwardly in the shell to a point adjacent the rear end of the latter, a spring coiled about the unit and compressed between a rearwardly facing annular shoulder in the shell and a formation on the unit intermediate the ends of the latter for urging the unit rearwardly, said tip being projectable forwardly through the front end of the shell against the action of the spring into a normal writing position and also being projectable forwardly beyond such position into an abnormal release position, an exteriorly accessible push rod located in the shell adjacent the rear end of the latter for moving the unit forwardly to project the tip into first one and then the other of said positions, said rod extending forwardly into freely separable endwise abutment with the rear end of the reservoir and being provided intermediate its ends with an annular groove, a collar of less axial extent than the groove shiftably mounted in the latter, and a plurality of spring ngers secured within the rear end of the shell about the push rod, said fingers being engageable with the front end of the groove in the rod to latch the latter in a forwardly projected p0- sition corresponding to the writing position of the tip and being expansible by the collar to disengage the groove and release the rod in a further projected position corresponding to the release position of the tip.

LASZLO JOZSEF BIRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS v Date Certicate of Correction Patent N o. 2,491,082 December 13, 1949 LASZLO JOZSEF BIRO It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requlrmg correction as follows:

Column 5, line 26, after the Word direct insert endwise;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of May, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

